Little Flower
by Thefinalkey
Summary: (kind of iffy on the title, I'll take suggestions) Ashren and Allie have lived next door to the Kinomotos for a few years now. In a small apartment they go to school with Touya and Yukito, with their part time jobs at a 'simple wish shop'. One day they receive a request involving their neighbors and soon they are dragged into the world of Card Captor Sakura.


**So, here's the first chapter of this story! Card Captor Sakura was actually the first anime I ever saw, and I still really love it so I just had to make this the first one in my 'Ashren series'. For those of you who haven't read any of AllieJenzie's of AmeliaSanford's stories, Ashren is someone whose background story (which will not fully be revealed until as I'm planning on actually making her story into a real book) allows her to be reborn into many worlds. She is born into these worlds to look for something and that is always her main goal. You may also recognize Allie (AllieJenzie's character) who is Ashren's best friend. Don't worry; we are working on this together so I'm not stealing her! **

**This story will follow both the manga and the anime, I like them both but I feel certain episodes or chapters explain things more than their counterparts so I'll use my own judgment to decide which I'll follow for whatever card. Any input from you guys would be nice to; I'd love to hear what my readers think. Also, this story will contain Yuuko from XXXHolic and Tsubasa Chronicles but it will be set before those time lines. I'm going with CLAMPs thing about characters being connected and all that jazz. **

**Anyway, I hope you guys like this! Reviews adored, constructive criticism and ideas taken with joy, and flames completely ignored! I do not own Card Captor Sakura, only the oc's and so on and so forth.**

**Summary: Ashren and Allie started working for Yuuko two years ago. They accept requests given by her customers and sometimes Yuuko herself. One day Ashren receives a request involving their neighbors, the Kinomotos asking her and Allie to help Sakura in the coming years. (Kinda brief, might add more later.)**

_Words—thoughts_

_Words- flashback_

Words- normal speaking or narrating

-00—

Prologue: How it started (Two years before series starts)

-00—

Ashren could feel herself sinking.

_"This is weird," _she thought, trying to move her hands. They didn't so much as twitch. _"Where am I? Am I dead? Damn it."_

Then again, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Ever since she had started working at that store with Allie stranger things had happened on an almost daily basis.

Ever since they turned 14, Ashren and Allie had been living on their own. Allie's family was filled with a bunch of greedy bastards who only ever used her to get what they wanted, and Ashren never had a family in the first place. Not that she was complaining. The orphanage she grew up in was great, and the people there were really nice, Ashren had just always preferred a more independent life style.

Of course, it sucked when they moved in at first. The small apartment was nice, and was actually pretty cheap, but no one would hire kids. They only had a few months to find something before the money Allie had taken from her family and Ashren had earned from small jobs around the neighborhood ran out. Things were looking pretty grim near the end of that. Little to no food except for that given by their kindly neighbors, worn down clothes, the basics of poverty and such. Then they met Yuuko.

_The two friends had been walking home from school one day (they both cursed the law requiring them to attend), when Allie had tripped and fell. Ashren had tried to grab her arm but they were both brought down. They had landed in someone's yard, an old, kind of shady looking building in front of them. Something about the place drew them in and before they knew it they were knocking on the door. _

_ Two young, twin girls opened the doors, smiling and cheering about the new guests. The pink haired twin grabbed onto Allie, while the blue haired one chose Ashren as her target. _

Ashren would have smiled if she could have moved. Whatever she was floating in was getting rather annoying.

_Her first meeting with Yuuko had been interesting to say the least. A shop that fulfilled wishes, but at a price. _

_ "What do you wish for?" Yuuko had asked them, a long, ornate pipe hanging delicately from her long fingers._

_ Allie's answer was straightforward as ever. "Wish? I wish this idiot would stop running into situations without thinking and actually find a decent job before we have to live in a box."_

_ Ashren was rather touched that Allie's wish had involved her. Never mind that the entire thing had been an insult and pushed all the blame of their current situation onto the red head._

_ "And you?" Yuuko had asked her._

_ Ashren smiled, dark thoughts creeping along her mind. "Hmmm, well it depends. Would I be able to pay the price for my wish?"_

_ Yuuko's wine red eyes had a sad tone to them as she stared at her. "The price for that wish is to high for any payment to balance."_

_ Ashren shrugged, having expected as much. "Then I don't really have anything else to wish for. Except maybe some knew shoes. These ones suck."_

_ Yuuko had smiled, standing from her couch gracefully. The dark blue kimono she had been wearing flared out dramatically and Ashren made a mental note to learn how to do that. _

_ "I can grant those wishes, for a price."_

_ And thus started the grand and glorious adventures of being one of Yuuko's lackeys. Ashren wasn't entirely sure any of the things they had been put through would have been allowed by child labor laws, but it was fun and they didn't have to worry about rent so who was she to complain?_

_ As long as they did odd jobs for Yuuko they would be paid and Ashren could get new shoes whenever she damn well pleased. _

A shift in the, whatever the heck she was floating in, drew Ashren's attention back to the present.

_"Ah man,"_ she groaned inwardly. _"I swear, if I get eaten by some giant goldfish-!_

A warm, deep chuckle echoed around her. Ashren would have flinched if she could.

"_Odd. Usually when I die, no one else is here. Maybe I'm hallucinating?"_

"You are not dead," the voice said.

_"Oh. Well that's good. Soooo, weird mind reading voice… What's up? Do you happen to know where I am?"_

"You are in a dream. I have come to request your help with something."

Ashren mentally nodded. _"Ah, I see, I see. Did Yuuko send you?"_

There was a long pause before it replied, sounding surprised. "You know Yuuko?"

_"Yup, yup. Me and my friend work for her. She can be such a slave driver sometimes. We really should be paid more."_

Another chuckle. "Yes, I suppose she can be sometimes. Will you listen to my request?"

_"Not like I can do much else."_

"I apologize for that."

_"Meh, it's kind of relaxing in a weird, unnatural way."_

Another shift around her. "Very well. You and your friend live next to a small family, yes?"

_"The Kinomotos? Yeah, we do. Why?"_

"In a few years, the youngest child will find something, and will be put through many trials. She will go through many pains, but many joys as well."

_"Sakura?"_ Ashren adored that girl. She was so cute! And there was something about her…. _"Do you want me to help her through the trials?"_

"No. She must face those on her own. However, I ask that you watch over her and try to lessen the burden she will bear. At least, as much as you can. I have full confidence in her abilities, but it would do well for her to have a watchful eye protecting her as well."

Ashren thought about it. _"I see no problem with it. I'm sure Allie would love to help as well. Do you mind if I tell her?"_

"Yes, that would be fine. I tried to reach her as well but something stopped me." The voice sounded confused.

Ashren sent a mental smile their way. _Haha, that would be my bad. I made a deal with Yuuko that I would be the only one to accept dream requests and that no one could reach her unless both of us allowed it."_

"Ah," she could hear a smile in their voice again. "I see. Many people can be taken advantage of in dreams."

_"Right, well, I accept this request."_

"Thank you. Your payment will be given to you at the end of everything."

_"Right-o. What is our payment by the way?"_

"It comes in two parts. Something your friend has always wanted, and for you something you have searched for, for a long time."

Ashren's mind froze.

_"You can't mean-!"_

"Goodbye Ashren. Once again I would like to thank you. And if it's not too much trouble, keep an eye on Yuuko as well? She always loved getting into trouble."

_"Wait!"_

-00—

A young girl, around the age of 15, woke with a start and rolled out of her bed. She crashed into the cold ground, her blankets falling around her.

"Owwww," She groaned, rubbing her forehead. She had short, choppy red hair that came down just above her chin, and electric green eyes. Her skin was pale, almost unnaturally so, and she looked fairly frail. A long, red scar spanned the length of her right eye, going from just below the eyebrow to halfway down her cheek. Untangling the sheets from around her legs, she pushed herself to her feet, her black pajama pants and shirt coming out wrinkled.

"Allies gonna be pissed," she muttered, looking at her clothes. "She just ironed these."

A knock on the door made her jump.

"Ashren, are you awake? We are going to be late."

"Uh, one second! I'm almost ready, I'll meet you out side!" The girl, Ashren, scrambled towards her closet. Pulling out her school uniform Ashren threw off her pajamas and stuffed them in the back corner. "There, that'll keep her from finding out until I can fix them."

Snatching her small black backpack from beside her desk, Ashren ran out the door and skidded down the hall. The apartment was small (a tiny kitchen, one bathroom, and two small rooms), but neither Ashren nor Allie needed anything extravagant to feel like they were home. A table in the kitchen with some comfortable chairs, a chair or two in their room, rooms painted their colors of choice, and pictures lining the walls. Nothing grand, but giving the feeling of a home. Ashren loved it, and though Allie never said anything, she was sure the other girl did to.

Locking the door behind her, Ashren slid down the railing of the stairs (they lived on the second floor) and landed next to her best friend.

Allie wore the same uniform as her, though Ashren swore they looked entirely different. Then again, Allie always did have a way of making everything look really high class. Whatever she wore, whatever she did, just screamed respectable, intelligent woman that wasn't afraid to knock people away to get what she wanted. Allie just thought she was an idiot.

"Took you long enough," Allie rolled her eyes. She had long black hair tied up in a ponytail. When it was down, it went to about the middle of her back and it had a slight wave to it. It might have been her high cheekbones, or slender frame that made Ashren instantly think of some kind of ice princess, but in her opinion it was the eyes. Allie's eyes were a cold blue narrowed and calculating. They saw far more than most people, more than Ashren sometimes wanted her to see, and there was always a plan in those eyes.

"Come on Allie, cut me some slack," Ashren whined as they began walking towards their neighbor's house. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

Allie frowned, glancing at her from the corner of her eye. "A customer?"

Ashren nodded, throwing her hands behind her head. "Yup! But we won't have to worry about this one for a while. Apparently nothing's gonna happen for a few years anyway."

Allie processed this before nodding. "The payment?"

"Don't you wanna know what the job is first?" Allie waved the thought away and Ashren sighed. "Well the guy didn't really give me any specifics. He said it came in two parts. Something you've always wanted and something I've always searched for."

Allie paused mid step before continuing on as if nothing had happened. "Something I have always wanted?"

Ashren smiled gratefully when she didn't mention her part of the payment. She didn't want to think about it at the moment. "Any idea what he was talking about?"

A small wrinkle appeared between Allie's brows as she thought. "…No. There has never been anything I have ever truly wanted, besides getting out of that house. He cannot give me something I have already received. Who was he?"

Ashren shrugged, going over the dream in her head. "No idea. He sounded kind of young, but I couldn't really tell. Everything was distorted. He must have powerful magic though. It was one of those dreams were I couldn't move, and it felt like I was under water. I couldn't even twitch."

Allie subtly glanced at the red head, looking her up and down. Dreams like that were dangerous. It was times like this she resented the other girl for making a deal with Yuuko. She had not asked for protection, but Ashren never did take that into mind.

"Was he dangerous?"

"Nah," Ashren shook her head. "His voice was kind, and I can't really think of anything negative about the job either. He also knows Yuuko, and he asked me to keep an eye out for her in case she got into trouble."

"I see."

The two came to a stop in front of the Kinomoto household. It was a beautiful house. Two levels and an attic, many windows giving it an open feeling, painted a soft yellow with white outlines, a well taken care of yard, and a small garden. It radiated a kind of comfort both girls were drawn to, though that was due to the family that lived there.

_They had met the Kinomoto family a year ago, two days after they first moved in. Heading out early in search of a job, the met the head of the household, Fujitaka. He was watering the garden out front and had greeted them with a warm smile. He was a tall man, and very fit. He might have been intimidation if it had not been for the warm smile on his face. His hair was a very light brown, carefully combed, and his eyes were a warm caramel brown behind light brown glasses. _

_ "Good morning," he called, waving at them. The two girls froze, staring at him in confusion. Placing his watering can down on the ground he walked towards them. "I heard we were going to be getting some new neighbors soon, would you two happen to be them?"_

_ Ashren and Allie shared a look. The man seemed nice enough, and if they were neighbors they would be seeing quite a bit of each other. It would be best to get to know him._

_ "I'm Ashren!" The red head grinned widely, throwing her hands behind her head. "And this is Allie. We just moved into our apartment a few days ago." She gestured towards the apartment building next to his house._

_ The man bent down so he was more their level. "My name is Fujitaka Kinomoto. It is nice to meet you."_

_ They bowed to each other and Allie ran a critical eye over his house. "You have a very lovely home."_

_ Fujitaka smiled, his eyes closing with the gesture. "Thank you very much. Would you and your family like to come over for tea some time?"_

_ Allie tensed slightly but Ashren took it in stride. "We'd love to! But it'll just be me and Allie. We live alone."_

_ Fujitaka stared at them in shock before giving them an almost sad smile. The two were shocked. It wasn't pitying, or mocking, or anything really. It was just sad. _

_ "Well, we would be happy to have you over anytime. I actually have a son about your age, perhaps you three could be friends?"_

_ Allie allowed a small smile to pass her lips for the kind man; something Ashren was ecstatic to see. It had been so long since she had smiled. "We would love to meet your son, if he is anything like you Kinomoto-san."_

_ The man laughed. "Haha, I'm flattered. I'm sure you'll get along great. He's a nice boy, and he really does need to socialize more."_

_ "Leave it to us Fujitaka-san!" Ashren cheered, ignoring the jab in her side for lack of formalities. Fujitaka didn't seem to mind._

_ "Well then I leave him in your capable hands. Are you free later today? He is out right now, but if you join us for dinner you can meet him as well as my daughter."_

_ "We would be honored," Allie bowed._

_ Fujitaka smiled once again, and with the promise to meet up later, Allie and Ashren went off job hunting._

Ashren leaned against the wooden fence, leaning back so she could look up at the sky. Meeting Touya and Sakura was probably a big moment for them, now that she thought about it. Even Allie was extremely attached to the two. There was just something about that family that drew them in.

"What is the job?" Allie suddenly spoke up, causing Ashren to jerk up.

She straightened herself and sent Allie a slight glare for startling her. "It's kind of like a protective job. We need to-"

The creak of a door cut her off and they turned towards the house. A familiar dark head of hair stuck out the doorway.

"Morning Touya!"

Touya Kinomoto scowled at the cheerful girl. How she could be so energetic all the time was beyond him. Slipping his last shoe on, he stepped out and closed the door behind him. He wore the Seijou high school uniform, just like them, and had dark brown, slightly shaggy short hair. His eyes, narrowed in annoyance as usual, were a dark brown that were only enhanced by his tan skin.

"Allie," he nodded towards the dark haired girl, receiving a nod in return. "…Thing."

Ashren growled at him. "Hey!"

Touya sighed as he grabbed his bike and wheeled it towards them. "I can't believe I have to spend the next four years of my life in the same school as _that_." He shivered. "Ugh."

"Why you little-," Ashren hissed at him. This guy was such a little brat! If it weren't for the fact that Allie actually _liked_ the idiot's sarcasm (and continuous insults of Ashren) she'd dropkick him into the next country!

A loud thump made them all pause. The front door suddenly flung open once again, and a small girl came speeding out.

"Hoeeee!"

All three teens reached out towards the girl trying to catch her. She sped forward, ramming into Touya and sending them both to the ground.

"Bahahaha!" Ashren cackled. "Serves you right!"

Ignoring the pained grunt of the boy, Ashren leaned over the fence and scooped the girl up into her arms.

"Hello there Little Flower, still getting used to those skates?" Ashren lifted the girl's short, honey brown hair back to get a good look at her face.

"Are you alright Sakura?" Allie questioned, leaning in to see her better.

Sakura Kinomoto looked up at them blearily, her emerald eyes dazed. She sent them a sheepish smile. "Ah, good morning Ashren-chan, Allie-chan. I-I'm still not very good with them."

Ashren patted one of her cheeks consolingly. "Takes practice little one. You'll get better."

Touya snorted as he brushed himself off, bending down to grab his bike. "Yeah right."

"Onii-san!"

"Don't listen to grumpy over there," Ashren spun her around, making the young girl shriek. "He's just angry cause he can't be as awesome as the rest of us."

"We are going to be late," Allie spoke up, glancing at her watch. It had been a birthday gift from Yuuko, surprisingly. It was small, but beautifully made, being made mostly of silver with the numbers on the clock face a light blue. A small, dark blue snowflake was engraved on the tip of the minute hand.

"Hoeee, but it's my first day of school!" Sakura cried.

"Then lets be off!" Ashren set her on the ground but kept a hold of her hand so she wouldn't fall. "Make sure to hold someone's hand until you get the hang of them, alright?"

Sakura nodded happily.

Ashren hopped slightly, tapping their heels together. A line of four small wheels popped out from the bottoms of their shoes. Allie had come up with the design for them and Ashren had made them with parts they bought with their extra money. It had taken awhile to get them right, but it was worth it in the end.

Touya swung onto his bike and waited patiently for Allie to sit on the back. She had shoes similar to Ashren's but she preferred not to use them unless she had to. She never was very good at skating.

The group headed off to school, like they did everyday since Allie and Ashren had met them. It was the beginning of 2nd grade for Sakura, and their freshman year in high school. Ashren really hated school, in her mind it really wasn't worth the effort when her future plans involved nothing that they were teaching them, but Allie valued it a lot so she sucked it up.

They dropped the little eight year old off before making their way towards Seijou.

"So, Touya," Ashren skated in front of him before twisting around to skate backwards. "How does it feel to be a highschooler?"

Touya sent her a blank look, swerving his bike a little to avoid hitting her. "You're going to run into something like that."

Ashren scoffed. "Psh. Please. My intense skill would- Gah!"

Touya skidded to a halt as he and Allie leapt off the bike. They ran over to the two fallen figures on the ground.

"Ow, ow, ow," Ashren held her head tightly. "That was totally uncalled for! Sneak attacks are illegal unless I use them!"

There was a groan next to her.

"Are you two alright?" Touya knelt next to them, helping Ashren sit up. Allie pulled her hands away to look at her head. A small cut just above her left eyebrow was bleeding sluggishly.

Allie sighed and pulled out a small medical kit. "Klutz," she murmured, beginning to clean the wound.

Ashren pouted at the insult, leaning away from the burning chemical touching her face.

"What about you, are you hurt?"

Ashren peeked around her friends to see who Touya was talking to. A teenage boy, about the same age as them and wearing the same uniform, was rubbing his arm with a slight grimace. He had light grey hair and matching grey eyes. The boy felt around on the ground for a moment before grabbing a pair of wire lenses and placing them on the bridge of his nose. His eyes widened at the sight of them.

"Ah! I am so sorry! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Are you alright?"

_"Dang it,"_ Ashren thought, _"He's a nice guy. If he was a jerk I could have messed with him a little."_ She smiled at him, waving her hand around dramatically until Allie slapped it for being in the way. "I'm fine Grey. Just a scratch. What about you?"

The boy blinked, tilting his head in confusion. "Grey?"

"Ignore her," Touya rolled his eyes. "She likes giving people stupid nicknames."

The boy nodded, giving them a small smile. Ashren blinked. He had the same kind of smile as the Kinomotos. "Oh, I'm fine. Just a scrape here or there, nothing to worry about."

Allie slapped a bandage on Ashren's forehead, making the girl whine, before turning her attention towards him. "Take off your jacket."

"Eh?"

She gestured towards his arm. "Your arm. I can not see it until you take off your jacket."

"O-oh," the boy flushed, shaking his head. "But I'm fine, really."

Allie gave him a pointed glare.

"Though I suppose it would be rude not to listen to you after causing that accident."

He slipped his jacket off, revealing a nasty scrape along his right arm. Allie held her hand out expectantly and the boy leaned over so she could look at it better. She stared at it for a few seconds before digging through the box for another bandage.

"Thank you very much, um…"

"Allie."

"Thank you very much Allie-san," he smiled. "My name is Yukito Tsukishiro."

"I'm Ashren!"

Touya leaned away from her frantic waving. "Get your filthy hands out of my face, who knows where they've been?" He turned his attention towards Yukito. "Touya Kinomoto."

Ashren flopped down on the ground, lightly running a finger over the bandage on her head. Something was off. She never should have run into this kid. Normally she'd sense him long before they saw him but for some reason she didn't. She glanced at Allie and Yukito, narrowing her eyes slightly. Even now, she couldn't really sense him. His spirit was there for all to see, a nice grey color that shimmered slightly in the sun, but it was like it had nothing in it. No substance. No life.

"Oi."

"Ack!" Ashren rolled away from the offending fingers flicking her wound. "The hell Touya?!"

"Get up, we're leaving."

Ashren huffed angrily at him but smiled when Yukito offered her a hand up. "Thanks Grey! You're much better than the dork over there. Do you go to Seijou to?"

Yukito brushed the dirt off himself before nodding. "Yes. I actually just moved here recently."

Touya opted to push his bike this time as they continued to talk to the new addition, Allie walking on his other side. Ashren skated next to them, still not sure if she wanted to risk going backwards again.

"Cool, welcome to Tomoeda! Besides Mr. Grouch over there every one here is pretty nice so you should get along fine."

Yukito nodded with a smile. "I see."

"Tsukishiro-san," Allie called, looking over at him. Yukito turned towards her. "What classes are you in?"

Yukito blinked before digging through his bag. He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to her. "This is my schedule. Can I ask why you want to know?"

Allie scanned it briefly before handing it to Ashren. "To see if we have any classes together."

"Haha," Ashren laughed. "You're in luck Grey. You've got at least one of us in all your classes! Sucks for gym though, you've only got Touya then."

"How do you know my schedule?!" Touya demanded.

Ashren snickered, suddenly speeding ahead.

"Get back here you brat!"

Allie sighed as the two chased each other around. She had hoped they would be on time at least for the first day, but by the looks of things they would be lucky if they made it before 2nd period started.

"Um, Allie-san?" Yukito started, staring at the two ahead of them. "Are they always like that?"

"Unfortunately. If you stick around them long enough you will get used to it. I suppose."

Yukito laughed, leaning down to look at her. Allie had noticed he was tall, almost as tall as Touya, but when he leaned down it made her realize how short she was in comparison.

"It seems like a very fun group!"

Allie frowned slightly. "Really?"

"Yup! You three seem to get along very well."

Allie hummed in thought. Well it certainly wasn't dull.

In the distance a bell rung, signifying the start of class. Ashren shrieked, shooting forward. Jumping into the air, she fly kicked Touya's bike into the ground.

"Every man for himself!"

"My bike!"

Allie sighed.

**So this chapter was basically to give you guys a run down of what's going on. I'm probably going to start on the actual series in the next chapter unless you guys want me to write more on pre-series stuff. There are benefits to both, like character development and such, so I'm really leaving that up to you. I can roll either way. Hope you all enjoyed this! Please review with either your thoughts on the story, advice and such, or general ideas you want to throw out there. Ta ta for now!**


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